This Sunday, more than one hundred million people in the United States will watch the big game. My family and I will also get together to root for Atlanta. Others have their own food traditions, but in the Gardner household, we gather for football-watching, lots of great snacks and my wife's famous Tex Mex chili.

Companies from poultry, meat and feed industries came together in Atlanta from January 31- February 2 for International Production & Processing Expo (IPPE), the world’s largest event of its kind. With a heavy focus on innovation, many companies showcased the latest technological developments addressing issues facing our industry.

The internet of things (IoT) made a splash into the market in 2016 with all kinds of promises of data, efficiencies and cost savings. While some of the early adopters saw success with these technologies, a large part of the market took a “wait and see” approach. In 2017, I predict that the masses will begin to see that it is a not a matter of if these new technologies will transform the industry but when.

Successful restaurants, bars and cafes know that front-of-house and back-of-house operations must run seamlessly in order to achieve happy customers and a healthy bottom line. The Diversey Care team recently met Marco, the Vice President of F&B of a very prestigious hotel chain. He and his team wanted to learn how IntelliDish™, our cloud-based monitoring system for industrial dishwashing, could help their operations.

When leading sustainability and communications for a company with a global manufacturing footprint at a time when the world’s greatest resources are challenged, it is essential to highlight our contributions. We’re reducing resource demands and improving efficiencies in our facilities, committed to repurpose, reuse or recycle 100 percent of waste from our manufacturing operations.

Did your gift-giving and receiving go as planned this holiday season? Is there a non-hatching Hatchimal or an oversized sweater that will soon be on its way back to the retailer? If so, you’re not alone.

For a company to be at the top of their game and to be a formidable competitor, it is crucial that it consistently reassesses the way in which every segment operates. Doing so can further maximize employee productivity and satisfaction.

The days of visiting stores and meandering through aisles experiencing the effects of creative merchandising, being lavished with in-store assistance, and walking out with a crisp, branded shopping bag lined with perfectly folded tissue paper are gone. The doorstep is the new retail playing field.

Association with your alma mater doesn’t end on graduation with a turn of your tassel. It grows with each student and alumnus as they embrace the university, understanding that the brand value of their degree, thus their personal brand value, depends on the individual and their level of support. I shared this message earlier this month when I was honored with the Outstanding Alumni Recognition Award from the Eta Alpha Chapter of Beta Alpha Psi at The Belk College of Business at UNC Charlotte.